1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to aluminum can recycling apparatus and, more particularly, to recycling apparatus which receives and crushes cans for recycling and dispenses coupons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,507 (Rhoades et al) discloses can crushing apparatus for collecting and crushing cans. The apparatus includes a conveyor belt onto which cans are dropped. The conveyor belt includes magnetic elements for holding onto ferrous cans. Two vacuum conduits are disposed above the conveyor. The first conduit receives aluminum cans, and the second conduit receives the ferrous cans. The ferrous cans are released from the conveyor to the conduit beyond a location in which the magnetic elements terminate. Both aluminum cans and ferrous cans are conveyed upwardly to the top of the apparatus where they are crushed. Refuse which may inadvertently be associated with the cans is separated from the cans and is discharged out of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,920 (Schuff & Burnett) discloses can crusher apparatus utilizing a housing and a can receiving slot in a lower portion of the housing. Aluminum cans fall onto a conveyor belt which transmits or transports the cans to a conduit which conveys the cans to a crusher. Ferrous cans remain in the conveyor, held by magnetic elements and move off the conveyor and are discarded. After being crushed, the aluminum cans are transported upwardly by air pressure or a moving air stream to the upper portion of the housing where they remain until they are transported out of the apparatus. The cans are moved out of the apparatus by air pressure which is the exhaust portion of the air pressure applied to the conduit which transports the cans from the conveyor to the crusher.
The apparatus of the present invention simplifies the crushing of aluminum cans for recycling and dispenses both money and coupons.